Waiting on a Memory
by Crazy PurpleSage
Summary: He says he thinks he knows why you do it?" A calm, automan-like voice came from his left side. "Naruto!" Sasuke turned to see the object of his three hour search standing calmly before him, like there was nothing wrong with this scene at all.


_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I am so sick of saying that, but there it is. _

_Just for your knowledge, I am listening to Fountain by Sara Lov. It has nothing to do with the story, but I thought I'd share this. Lovely song, really. Please listen to it. _

_Anyway, this story started out as just a few sentences that I wrote down months ago. And then when I looked back in my notebook later on, a whole story came to my head. Funny how those things happen, really. _

_Please enjoy. And if review if you feel so inclined as to do so! ;D Thanks! _

_Oh, and thank you to my amazing beta-reader Imperial Mint! ;D _

_**Waiting on a Memory **_

Sasuke frantically searched the streets of Konoha; anxiously looking around left and right, every second, as his eyes combed every possible area for one mop of blond hair.

People passed him, completely unfazed by the Uchiha's frenzied actions, as though they were all used to this, but made no move to help.

Looking down a street corner, debating which way he should go and recheck for the second time that day, he jumped as he heard someone speaking right next to him.

"He says he thinks he knows why you do it." A calm, automan-like voice came from his left side.

"Naruto!" Sasuke turned around, surprised to find the object of his three hour search calmly standing beside him as quietly as though he had alighted on a bed of moss. "You were supposed to meet me outside Hokage tower hours ago. Where _were_ you? Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, not really expecting an answer.

Seeing that Naruto was in one piece, Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and hugged the boy, who made no move to return the gesture but simply received the hug as still as a statue.

Pulling back with worry written all over his face, Sasuke began frantically checking for any injuries on the blond. Running his hands over his spotless jacket and brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders. He found no visible scratches or cuts and breathed a second sigh of relief.

"Do what?" Naruto asked, referring to his earlier statement.

Reassured that Naruto was indeed okay, Sasuke held him at arms length, squeezing his shoulders as though convinced Naruto would leave again if he let go.

Not moving as he looked at Naruto, mentally willing him to stay put while trying to force him to look him in the eye as any concerned mother would.

Absentmindedly, he responded to the blond's earlier comment, "Who were you talking to? Where were you?" His eyes bore into Naruto dull blue ones, staring out like a deflated balloon.

"I don't know who." Naruto ignored the last question, oblivious to Sasuke's frazzled demeanor. Instead, he looked on ahead down the street, his mind still with the other person he had just seen. "Some boy with red hair and a weird tattoo, I think. And a big gourd on his back." he scrunched up his face in puzzlement, but soon dismissed the thought and his face fell back to an apathetic gaze. "Doesn't matter, really."

The blond slipped through Sasuke's grasp like an intangible being floating through a world that he had no connection to and walked right past Sasuke with a detached air about him, not once looking back but sauntering along as if he could drift through everything around him. "Names aren't important. Faces are."

"Naruto!" Sasuke shook himself from his stupor and ran after him to make sure he didn't lose the blond again.

Grabbing his hand, the raven began to lead the blond home. At least to where the raven considered as their home.

_**To be a ninja is to be fragile. To lead a fragile life.**_

Closing the door behind himself, he dropped the keys on the table by the door and slipped out of his shoes. Naruto copied his movements and followed him into the kitchen.

Sasuke opened the fridge and took out two drinks. Twisting the caps off, he placed one in front of Naruto and waited for him to take it before picking up his own. Sasuke took a long draught, eyes closed and letting the cool liquid ease his burning lungs.

When he finally set the bottle down and looked up, he saw Naruto removing the bottle from his own lips at the same time.

"So, how did the meeting with Tsunade go?" Sasuke fidgeted with the cap across the counter, making a slight screeching noise on the marble top.

Naruto continued to stare at Sasuke, not making any move to show that he had even heard the question.

Trying to break the blank stare, Sasuke tried to gain his attention again, "I-"

"She's nice. But sad." Naruto let a brief frown weigh down his lips, "I was supposed to be Hokage. At least that's what she said." He looked up expectantly at Sasuke, as though waiting for him to confirm this odd statement. "I think she still expects me to be."

"Yeah," Sasuke took a deep, steadying breath. He had been expecting something like this to happen soon. "You were going to succeed Tsunade."

"I don't want to be Hokage." Naruto pursed his lips in a serious expression. It would have been quite a laughable expression, if not for the meaning behind the words. Instead, all Sasuke could do was blink and deepen the frown on his face. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head, barely registering what Naruto was saying. There was no concern evident in his monotone, like listening to a smooth recording; no person behind the voice. A mere reaction Naruto had picked up while watching the villagers. Knowing that it was something he was supposed to say to Sasuke's frowning, but he didn't know why.

"Hmph," Sasuke cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm fine."

They sat in silence a little longer. While Sasuke was slumped in deep though, looking with a perverse longing at the blond, Naruto looked blankly ahead as though his mind was completely blank at the moment.

The door bell rang, making Sasuke jump. "Stay here," he commanded, before leaving to answer the front door.

Turning before he rounded the corner, he saw Naruto sitting in the same position. He hadn't even acknowledged Sasuke's words but Sasuke knew he had heard and would obey.

Sighing, wondering who could be calling, he opened the door to see his old sensei standing before him.

"Kakashi. Come in."

"Why thank you Sasuke." Kakashi stepped inside with his visible eye turned up in over exaggerated cheer. "So, I'm assuming you finally found him?"

"Yes, I guess he was with Gaara." The slight edge to his voice reflected his disapproval better than any facial expression could.

Kakashi just nodded, unfazed. He stood looking around in the foyer, as though this was the first time he was in the Uchiha mansion before asking the dreaded awaited question. "So, how's Naruto?"

Sasuke did all he could to suppress a sigh while he bit down hard on the inside of his lip. Moments passed as Sasuke pondered how exactly how to respond to this pending cringe-worthy problem of a question. He finally took half a breath to answer, "Same."

Kakashi sighed, dropping all cheerful pretenses to reveal how much the years had taken their toll.

If this conversation had taken place a few years ago and if the situation were a bit lighter, Kakashi might have responded with, "That bad?" with a joking grin. But this was no joke. And it was a depressing burden on all of Konoha the day the orange part of their sun came back with the Uchiha traitor, empty.

Memory erased. Completely.

Sasuke was still haunted by their last fight. The fight where Naruto was finally ready to reign in on his promise to Sasuke, to bring him home from Orochimaru. Or so he thought.

As the fighting had gotten more and more intense they each set their demons free on the other; determined to be the out coming victor.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"_Saaaasukeeeee!"_

_The name still echoed in his head. His own name spoken by Naruto before the Kyuubi container took hold of all the fox's chakra and brought out the ninth, and final, tail. _

_The force of such energy knocked Sasuke out in an instant, but not before he saw the blinding red chakra shoot up and around him, obscuring Naruto completely in the fiery aura. _

_When he finally came around a few hours later, he found Naruto sitting calmly next to him, looking up at the dying sunset. _

_He didn't even turn to look at Sasuke, but kept his eyes glued to the flickering colours in the sky. _

"_Hi." His voice held no personality nor usual its inflection but seemed more like a distant echo. It had lost its usual chipper quality that he had always managed to retain even in the direst of situations. "You were out for awhile. Why'd you decide to sleep here?" he smiled innocently at Sasuke, finally cocking his head to look down at the dark haired boy. _

Was this Naruto?

_It looked like Naruto. _

_But that wasn't Naruto's smile and those weren't his eyes. They were all blank and emotionless; devoid of any vitality that characterized all that was _Naruto_. _

_Sasuke just stared. Stared and wondered where he was and what kind of dream he was in this time. _

"_Fine. You don't have to talk." Naruto finally said after a few minutes had passed. He didn't seem hurt, disappointed or upset in anyway. His voice didn't change at all. "You can just sit and watch the sunset with me, alright?" Naruto looked at him with a pleading in his eyes, but different from what Sasuke was used to. This imploring was a vulnerable begging like that of a wounded animal looking for companionship and protection. This was not Naruto. _

"_Naruto?" _

_Naruto ignored him and continued to look up into the blues, purples, pinks and oranges of the sky. _

_Sasuke sat up and shook the other boy's shoulders, calling again. "Naruto!? I'm leaving; I'm going back to Orochimaru…" Naruto just looked at him with a calm stare. _

_Sasuke continued to tighten his grip on the ripped orange cloth. "Come after me! Tell me that you'll break my legs and arms, and then drag me back to Konoha!" Sasuke waited, out of breath, too caught up in finding out what was disturbing their usual clash of heads and tails to wonder about his own odd outburst. _

_Naruto just sat and watched; flopping in Sasuke's hold as he shook and yelled at him with an increasing ferocity. _

_His eyes were like glazed glass; a puppet that lifted its arms at its master's command. _

"_Who's Naruto, where's Orochimaru?" _

_Sasuke fell back on his heels, bringing Naruto with him. Together, they fell down; Naruto completely limp, laying his weight on the paling raven. _

_Sasuke violently pushed Naruto off him, letting him crash a few feet away in the dark. _

_Naruto didn't move to get up or even move at all for that matter. Blond hair was smattered with dirt, along with the rest of his body. Orange suit was torn beyond mending. _

_He just lay there like a lost doll that knew it was unwanted, that nobody wanted to claim. _

_Sasuke looked away, palm covering his eyes from the whole sight. Getting up and dusting himself off, he turned to go towards Otogakure. But stopped. _

_His hands clenched tighter and tighter, his teeth grinding back and forth while his eyes stayed looking down at the settled dirt. _

_Finally, after what seemed like an entire dynasty gone by, he turned back around and walked towards the other boy. _

_Naruto had finally sat up and seemed to be looking nowhere and everywhere. _

_Sasuke bent down at the waist and reached out his hand, looking deep into his eyes for a clue on where to go next. _

"_Hi, I'm Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke said gently. _

_Naruto smiled and grabbed the outstretched hand. But it wasn't his usual smile and less powerful than his normal grip._

_Then his face faltered as he realized he was supposed to answer in kind, and was lost for words. _

"_You're Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke said a bit louder with a pained grimace that he couldn't make up to a smile no matter how hard he tried. _

"_Oh, right. I'm Naruto." _

"_C'mon. Let's get you home." Sasuke pulled up on their joint hands and made sure Naruto was stable enough before he took a step forward. _

_Naruto still looked confused, not sure of anything that was going on, but continued to smile and followed Sasuke. "Alright, Sasuke, I trust you." _

_Sasuke winced, knowing that was exactly what got Naruto hurt in the first place. He wouldn't even be in this situation if he hadn't done just that; trusted Sasuke. _

_Placing an arm around Naruto's shoulder, he led Naruto away from the battle field and towards Konoha. Towards home. _

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Sasuke snapped out of his musings and turned back towards Kakashi to find the silver haired man patiently waiting.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, "It's like, he can be turned on and off at the touch of a button. Not always there. Sometimes I think I'm making progress and then…he just shuts down, again. I…don't…know."

"Hey, Sasuke! I– Oh! Hi… Kakashi!" Naruto smiled in brief victory over remembering a name and looked excitedly at Sasuke.

Sasuke indulged him with a smile. "He doesn't remember names as well anymore. But he tries. For me." Sasuke whispered inaudibly, but Naruto still heard and gave out an excruciatingly wide smile that threatened to split his face.

Kakashi nodded with a smile that could be deemed as patronizing.

Sasuke turned his head away at the look. The all too familiar eyes and smile usually awarded to a young child that was still learning the moral difference between right and wrong. The gaze that almost everyone gave to him and Naruto wherever they went.

Well, the sympathetic glances were aimed at just Naruto. Sasuke was on the receiving end of many withering glares and looks of hatred for the first few months of his return.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_As soon as they had reached the gates of Konoha, the guards on duty sounded the alarm. _

_Ninjas, jounin and chuunin alike, rushed at Sasuke; surrounding them within moments. If Sasuke had really wanted to, he could have been out of there and inside the village already. But he had another mission to accomplish that did not consist of running. _

_The Konoha nins immediately tried to separate him from Naruto, while trying to restrain and chain up Sasuke before he got away. _

_As Sasuke tried to find a way out, Naruto's hand slipped from his grasp and the blond fell away into the group of faceless ninjas. _

_As Sasuke looked around frantically to relocate the other, the Konoha shinobi took the opening to tie his hands behind his back and start carrying him away to the center of the village. _

_Not caring for his enemies for the moment, Sasuke looked over their crowding heads to see Naruto standing in the streets, right where Sasuke had left him. The guards were trying to question him and take him to see Tsunade, but he looked right through them all to Sasuke. The same abandoned pleading look in his stare. _

"_Naruto!" Sasuke called back, finally beginning to fight off his attackers. _

_Looping his hands around his body to the front, he knocked two out with a blow to the head and threw the last one off him with enough force to send him flying several feet. _

_Seeing an opening, he quickly ran back to Naruto, who was still staring at the place where the scuffle had taken place with fear and cowering at the various shouts of confusion, anger, panic, and hatred from the villagers around him. Thinking fast, Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand and teleported the both of them to the Hokage Tower. _

"_Uchiha Sasuke!" Shizune jumped up from her desk as though her chair were on fire. _

"_I need to speak to the Hokage. Something's wrong with Naruto." Sasuke pushed past Shizune just as Tsunade came storming out her door, flanked by a couple of ANBU guards. _

"_Uchiha! Get him!" The bird and frog masked ANBU rushed forward to detain the criminal. Grabbing his bound arms, they slammed his face roughly into the floor before he even gave a fight. _

_With his face rubbed harshly against the carpet, Sasuke looked up with his limited sense of vision as Tsunade's high green heels came into view._

"_Good work, gaki. You did the right thing brining the Uchiha here." Tsunade held Naruto in a one-armed hug, pulling his limp body against hers. _

"_He lost his memory!" Sasuke's yell was muffled by the ground; his mouth crushed against the floor as he continued to struggle. "He's not the same!" _

_Tsunade, who had long ago turned a deaf ear to anything Sasuke-related, turned Naruto into her office and away from the scene. _

_Sasuke kept his eyes on the retreating blue sandals in front of Tsunade's heels, oblivious to the needle being thrust into his side. _

_The last thing he remembered seeing before it all went dark was a thick wooden door closing in a swift motion. _

_Waking up hours later, his senses were bombarded by a whole different atmosphere. A distant dripping somewhere in the room was the only sound in his ears. The foul smell of dead carcasses, weeks old waste, and decay assaulted his nose. And a sandy-dry taste rolled on his tongue as though it too had been there for weeks. But these things weren't what woke him up. _

"_Uchiha Sasuke." _

_Un-sticking his eyelids, he blinked a few times trying to gather his wits. He looked around to see the blonde Hokage standing outside his cell; hands on her hips and tapping her toe impatiently. _

"_We need to talk." _

"_About what?" Sasuke turned around, showing her his back. "I have nothing to say to you." _

"_Oh, I'm gonna-"_

"_Ah, Lady Tsunade, remember why we're here!" Shizune's voice broke through. _

"_Fine. We've decided your punishment." She ground out the words like she didn't want her tongue touching the inside of her mouth if she could help it. _

_Sasuke looked on, to the opposite wall, not interested. _

"_You need to take care of Naruto." Her voice softened slightly at the boy's name, but still held hints of disgust at such an idea. _

_Sasuke's head snapped up at hearing Naruto's name. His eyes slowly widened and his jaw relaxed from its hard smirk as his mind fetched all the events of the last twenty four hours to the front of his memory. _

'_Naruto! Is he okay? Has he said anything? Does he remember?' Sasuke was dying to let all his frantic thoughts spill from his mouth but restrained himself in front of the Hokage. It wasn't like she was going to tell him anything anyway. And what a worse way to lose his cool and calm composure in front of her than to sound like he was worried and frantic. _

"_He won't respond to any of us…like he's…scared and confused." Tsunade went on, distressed. Now looking away from the boy sitting in the cell and over to the small window high up in the corner at the end of the hall. "I don't know what to do." She shook her head with a small frown, dragging down her features to reveal all the well tucked wrinkles. "But he keeps repeating your name. As though you're the only person he knows. I don't know what else to do." She was no longer the Hokage but a desperate mother anxious to help her child._

_Sasuke tilted his head, absorbing every word like water to his parched body. _

"_I don't particularly like the idea of letting you out but…for the sake of Naruto…" she breathed out heavily through her nose and waited, as though gathering herself before continuing. "He will live with you for a year. And you will both wear chakra restraints that will not allow you to leave the village." _

_Looking back at Sasuke, she bent down to push her face as close to the bars as possible without touching them. " If I so much as sense that you have hurt him in anyway or if you have even touched the border of the village, you are back here for longer than you can imagine. Got it?" _

_Sasuke nodded and waited for further instruction. _

"_Otherwise, if you follow the rules, I have to let you out as a free citizen of Konoha. We'll talk reinstating you as a ninja later. _Much_ later," She bit out, making sure she got her point across clear enough._

_Sasuke nodded again, looking as though he could care less, while inside he was itching to get to Naruto._

"_Fine. Follow me." Tsunade walked away. Shizune came before the doors, unlocked them, and then led Sasuke upstairs and outside. _

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Sasuke ran his hands through his hair as he closed the door behind his former teacher.

He had indeed let Naruto live with him and taken care of him for a year. And then once his sentence was up he continued to keep Naruto by his side.

After his year was up, he slowly regained the trust of the villagers, who saw his efforts as gallant and brave. The poor Uchiha; sacrificing his life and time to take care of his friend.

It has been three years since the day he had stepped back in the village for good. And yet, he was still here, taking care of a boy who didn't remember anything about him. Like time had no affect whatsoever.

_**The only time people will get upset at you for doing something wrong is when they think that they can do it better. **_

Those who had once thrown insults, along with the proverbial rotten fruit, at Naruto when he was just a child; too young to understand what he was accused of being, looked on with regret and sympathy as they saw Sasuke leading him through all their familiar haunts in the village.

At first, when they saw Sasuke's adamant persistence in getting Naruto back, they smiled and urged him on. For, they too wanted the sunshine back in the sky.

They had encouraged him as he held Naruto's hand and reintroduced him to ramen.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Naruto poked at the little fish cakes with his chopsticks, a slight line above his eyes on his impassive face. _

"_Try it, it's your favourite. Could never get enough of the stuff." Sasuke urged him on, pushing the bowl closer to Naruto. _

_Naruto shrugged his shoulders and scooped some noodles up into his mouth. He spent awhile rolling it around in his mouth, chewing, and then finally swallowing. _

"_Hm." He pushed the bowl away from him and hopped down from the stool, his eyes roving around as though on autopilot searching for something unknown. _

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

People passing by would smile with sympathy as Sasuke brought him to get new clothes.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"_All you ever wear is orange! I've never seen you in anything else." Sasuke almost raised his voice in exasperation, holding up the familiar orange and black jacket and pants. _

_Well, familiar to all, but Naruto. _

_Naruto looked at the garments being held out to him, but soon dismissed the garish coloured clothing with a shake of his head and walked off to a different part of the store. _

_Sasuke's shoulders slumped in defeat. _

_While watching Naruto wander through the small store, the shop keeper came up behind him. _

"_I only ever kept those for him. Are you sure he doesn't want them anymore?" she asked with a confused frown. _

_Sasuke didn't even answer, pursing his lips, he went off to follow Naruto to the see the light blue and red clothing he was holding out in front of himself while keeping his blue eyes on the floor. _

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

­But the same people shook their heads in confusion and disapproval when Sasuke officially ended his days as a shinobi.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"_Well, Uchiha. You've done what I've asked." Tsunade refused to look at Naruto, who was standing next to Sasuke like a puppet servant waiting for its master's call. "You've done above and beyond." She admitted, resting her forehead in her palm, looking away from the two. "And, I deem you eligible to be reinstated as a Konoha shinobi." _

"_No thank you." Sasuke stood proud, just as expressionless as the boy next to him. Yet, his eyes held a determined quality to them that seemed to have been passed on from the old Naruto to the new Sasuke; somehow keeping them both alive. While differently, once cerulean blue orbs that sparkled like the ocean, lay as dead robin's egg cracked before they were able to hatch. _

"_Are you sure? You know, you aren't responsible for…You know, you can…give u-"_

"_No!" Sasuke barked, a flash of anger shining through. Taking a deep breath, he said. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama. But this is my responsibility, and I won't stop until I have Naruto back. I don't have time for shinobi duties. _This_ is my main priority." _

_With that, Sasuke turned on his heels, Naruto in unison beside him, and walked out the door, leaving a stunned Hokage in his wake. _

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

But eventually, as the next month turned into next year, and the year after that; the rest of the village gave up. They saw the whole situation for what it was; hopeless. And soon, no one understood why Sasuke didn't just give up already.

No longer were Sasuke and Naruto on the receiving end of heartening smiles and words, but of patronizing grimaces and distinguishable silences. They all thought Sasuke to be a fool to continue this endeavor.

From then on, the people only watched from the sidelines as they saw the Uchiha, once known as the coldest prince in all of Konoha, give encouraging smiles to the blond. They sighed in exasperation as he re-taught Naruto the governing system of the village and the importance of the Hokage. All wondering; what could he really do with any of that information now?

It was an impossible task in their eyes, and they didn't like seeing Sasuke wasting his brilliant talent on a hopeless goal. So many were afraid for his sanity, which had already left him long ago.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto. Lost in his own world where the village didn't exist, the past didn't matter, and where he and Naruto could just start over and live as they were.

"What is it, Naruto? Are you hungry?" Sasuke asked, his hopes rising with every word he spoke to the blond. Even after every year, month, day, hour, second of disappointment, Sasuke continued to care. He continued to raise his hopes and wonder if this will be the moment he'd been waiting for. Constantly wondering if it was simply long overdue amnesia, or whether Naruto's soul had truly been wiped clean and presented as a completely new slate.

He continued to wait on a memory that might bring even a sliver of the old Naruto back.

"Why are you sad?" Naruto walked up to Sasuke, clutching at his pale blue t-shirt where his heart would be.

Sasuke stood frozen, just looking down at Naruto from their half an inch height difference. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's torso and clutched onto him with all his might, as though afraid Sasuke would leave if he let go.

"Please. Did _I _hurt you?"

Sasuke was shocked.

Never had this boy directly called by his name. Never had this boy returned a hug. Never had this boy initiated a conversation. Never had this boy shown such emotion and concern in one glance, let alone the tone of his voice.

Sasuke hugged back, torn between pulling away and looking into the boy's face to search for the old Naruto or just continuing to hold on for dear life, afraid that this was some horrible omen signifying that Naruto was finally leaving Sasuke forever.

"I was just wondering…What did that red-haired boy mean; that he knows why you do it? What was he talking about?" Naruto looked up into Sasuke's eyes. "Do you know why?" A light of curiosity was shining through his questioning gaze. Albeit, not the same genki personality that could outshine the world.

But it was a start.

**Owari **

Well, there you go. Finally done. Please tell me what you think! ;D


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